Michael Hobbs's (michaelhobbs) Blog

It’s a race for time.  How much time do home buyers have before prices start escalating out of control? Redfin, the real estate app, gathered information from 19 of our country’s fastest selling markets and documented a 15% increase in home prices from March of 2012 to March of 2013. San Francisc...

You gotta smell it to sell it…For those looking to put your house on the market as we step into 2013, you may have been privy to certain techniques, like appealing to the sense of smell.  The key here is what your house should not smell like. Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies seem to be a popu...

For all you former Baywatch fans out there, here’s a bit of news for you; Pamela Anderson is underwater without a lifeguard in sight… Pam Anderson has been the source of many tabloid jokes regarding her unpaid taxes and over spending, however she owes just over $370,000 to the IRS and the state o...

Similar to other industries, the architectural industry took a severe hit in 2008 along with the real estate industry.  As the housing market has begun to rise again, so has the demand for architects again. Hawthorne Plunkard Architecture, based in Chicago, is known for the recent transformation ...

In the battle to clean up the foreclosure mess in the US, Florida was said to be hit the hardest.  As RealtyTrac continues to track foreclosure activity, they reported that Florida has remained the leader in foreclosure filings for the 7th consecutive month. According to the numbers provided by R...

With the market becoming more competitive, many think that investors are slowing down.  2011 was a banner year of investor activity and the market witnessed first-hand the effects of billions of dollars flow through their communities from hedge funds. So since their activity is seemingly slowing ...

  With all the talk of the market on a rebound, there are still many who are playing the role of spectator right now.  In fact, the Mac Arthur Foundation conducted a survey which showed that 77% of homeowners are still doubtful.  Which leaves many questioning; how do I really know if my own neigh...

As we've commenced another opening day of America’s favorite past time, Trulia, real estate research firm, decided to find out the average home prices in the vicinity of our country’s most beloved major league stadiums and which ones were trending. Excluding Toronto, because let’s face it, it’s i...

Much like back in the days of the wild west, when there were those who seemed to take what they wanted without any repercussions, the government chose to step in.  Of course one of the most well-known occurrences was the settlement that the US government made with the Native American community.  ...

Caribou Coffee has been the close alternative to Starbucks for a long time here in Chicagoland.  Well, Sunday morning while people are on their way to church, or other Sunday morning rituals, many will be in for a rude awakening – perhaps stronger than coffee. Where did the Caribou go? Perhaps ba...